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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27220840">Double Trouble</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/ultralillylove/pseuds/ultralillylove'>ultralillylove</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Avalon High Twin AU [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Avalon High (2010)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Enemies to Friends to Lovers, F/M, Slow Build, Slow To Update</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 20:15:09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>5,002</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27220840</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/ultralillylove/pseuds/ultralillylove</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>bit AU, but still pretty true to script- Allie has a twin sister; Ilah. While Allie has always been the "good" twin, Ilah has strayed a bit more off the beaten path. She loves History, but hates school. When the Penningtons move to Avalon, Allie meets Will, but Ilah meets MARCO. The more he pulls her in, the harder she fights, but can Ilah avoid fate any more than the rest of them?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Allie Pennington | Ellie Harrison/Will Wagner, Marco Campbell/Original Character(s)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Avalon High Twin AU [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1987309</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Staying</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>OK, so am I the only one who thought Marco was wayyy cuter than Will? I also thought that Allie was a bit odd, like some of her lines just sounded off, but that's just me. Anyway, since the canon ending didn't give anyone to Marco, I thought I'd give him someone to fall in love with.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>I awoke with a thump. Literally.<br/>
     </p><p>       “Allie? Are you okay?” I asked, peering down at my twin sister from my top bunk.</p><p>        “Yeah, I’m all right.” She groaned back.</p><p>Just then our mother came rushing up the stairs, arms around a box full of, surprise, books.</p><p>        “Are you alright girls? I heard a noise, an- ” she paused seeing Allie on the ground. “What are you doing on the floor?”</p><p>        “I guess I fell out of bed,” Allie replied.</p><p>        “Didn’t you used to do that all the time when you were like, four?” I questioned.</p><p>        “Oh shut up, Ilah.” She snapped back. “Besides, I bet when I was four I wasn’t dreaming about medieval combat.”</p><p>        “Well, as long as you two are up, you can unpack.” Mom suggested.</p><p>I responded with a heavy dose of sarcasm. “Sure thing Mom! Want us to organize your books as well?” As usual, she was completely ignorant, while Allie</p><p>chuckled behind her back.</p><p>        “Oh no, sweetie. Don’t worry, your father and I will handle the books.” And with that, she went back downstairs.</p><p>        “God she’s so oblivious.” I sighed.</p><p>        “Yeah, well we’ll probably thank her for it later on down the road. Come on, let’s get started.”</p>
<hr/><p>We had worked our way through about half of the boxes before we found the two smaller ones that contained all our school stuff. In each one there was</p><p>a small, cream-colored brochure for our new prison I mean school, Avalon High. Inside each brochure was a flyer for track and field tryouts. The flyer</p><p>stated that tryouts would be held until 5 o’clock after the first day of the semester and that all were welcome to try out. Allie and I looked at each other</p><p>and rolled our eyes. We both love to run, and we each specialized in our own events, me in the sprints and her in the long-distance, and we were really</p><p>good. But, because the longest time we ever stayed in one house was six months, it was obvious that even if we made the team, we wouldn’t be around</p><p>to see the end of the season. Allie passed me her flyer, and I crumpled them up and shot two three-pointers one after another into the trashcan.</p><p>I sighed. “I think I’m going to go downstairs and help them with the books”</p><p>        “Help or read?” Allie shot back.</p><p>        “Touché sister, but I have to make sure they haven’t been holding out on me. The last one I read on Lancelot and Guinevere almost made me                   throw up from all the lovey-dovey stuff.”</p><p>        “I’ll remember that when I’m married and you’re an old cat lady”</p><p>        “Screw you!” I huffed, as I left the room and headed down.</p>
<hr/><p>Downstairs, it was obvious that the books had already made a permanent home for themselves; everywhere.</p><p>        “All unpacked sweetie?” My dad asked.</p><p>        “Getting there,” I replied. “I see King Arthur and his Merry Men have once again taken over the house.”</p><p>        “It was Robin Hood who had the Merry Men, sweetie," Dad answered without pausing in his sorting of the many leather-bound tomes. "Arthur had           the Knights of the Round Table. You know that!” I took a deep breath before responding.</p><p>        “Yes, I do. How could I not know that, when it’s all you guys talk about?”</p><p>        “We’re professors of medieval literature, Ilah. It’s our job.” Dad soothed.</p><p>        “I know, I know, but you guys talk about King Arthur so much, I’m starting to dream about him. And not even like most girls who dream about                 knights in shining armor. Mine have dirt all over them, and BO, and are missing half their teeth.” I replied.</p><p>Dad paused, “That’s actually quite accurate. During Arthurian times, dental hygiene wasn’t considered to be-”</p><p>        “Ew! Dad! Seriously?” I cut him off as I hopped up on the counter. “Well, I don’t even know why we bothered to unpack. We’re just going to move in           six months, right? I mean which is great, I love always moving, like you always say once to live in one place right?” They both fell silent. “What?”</p><p>        “Well, ” Mom started. “It’s not going to be six months this time.” She stopped, glanced dad, and then continued. “Ilah, we’re going to be here for             three years. We were just offered contracts at the University, and this place is so…special. Now we know that three years is a long time, bu-“</p><p>         “Whoa, whoa, wait. So we’re going to be at Avalon High until graduation? So we can be on the track team, and finish the season, and make actual friends?”</p><p>They nodded.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Yes! <strong>Yes! <span class="u">Yes!”</span></strong></em>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Meeting</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>This is one of my favorite Marco scenes. *squeals* What can I say, I think we all love bad boy Marco. XD</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>After I told Allie the good news, she went for a run while I kept unpacking. When I was done, she still wasn't back, so I grabbed my journal and climbed onto the roof. I started writing down things I could tell people at our new school, things that would help them get to know me and tell us apart. I wrote about how even though we're twins, we're still two different people. People have always described Allie as good. I don't know if that means I'm bad, or just not good enough. But either way, I know who I am, and I am who I am, so that's enough for me. I put down that even though I love history, I absolutely hate school. And how I love to play the violin and draw, but Lord have mercy on anyone that tries to listen or look at my work without my permission (something I've never given <em>anyone</em>). Even though I know exactly what I'm doing, I usually struggle in other subjects. Even when I don't know what I'm doing, usually if I go with my gut I get the right answers anyway. I talked about how I like dark colors, so people usually assume that I'm goth or just rebellious, even though I can be even girlier than Allie. And I also tried to describe how alone I feel, even though I knew I would never share that with anybody. The problem is I just feel sometimes like nobody, not even Allie really understands. The dreamer in me thinks I'm just waiting to meet my true love. The realist wants to know my straitjacket size.</p><p>After Allie came back from her run she would not shut up about some guy she met at the water fountain. It's like that book I read all over again. God, I hope I never sound like that.</p><hr/><p>The next day was our first day at Avalon High. After making sure Mom was to pick us up at five, not three because of track tryouts, we walked into the building together. Immediately, there was a loud crash. Allie looked around the corner sighed. It must be a bully then. I looked around the corner and saw… and saw one of the cutest guys I have ever seen. That was great. The unfortunate part is that <strong>he</strong> was the bully.</p><p>"Marco, why can't you just feel my lunch money like every other bully? I need my locker!" His victim appealed to him. "What's wrong with yours?"</p><p>"Well, Miles," Marco replied. "Since you asked; mine's too far from class."</p><p>Miles scoffed. "You don't even go to class!"</p><p>"Give me the combination," Marco demanded, slamming the rest of the books out of Miles's hands.</p><p>"That must've been what we heard before," I whispered to Allie.</p><p>"1-2-3-4-5" Miles shot back.</p><p>"He's going to get himself killed!" Allie whispered back. I hummed in agreement</p><p>Marco slammed Miles against the lockers. "Give it to me, Preschool, or I'll put you in the locker."</p><p>"Wow, nerd in a locker. How original!" Miles mocked. "We're now living inside an 80s teen movie."</p><p>Just as Marco went to pick Miles, a voice from behind him called out "That's enough, Marco!"</p><p>Marco rolled his eyes and turned to face the interrupter. "Hooray! If it isn't Will Wagner here to save the day! My hero." He sneered. "We are you gonna do, Will, hit me?</p><p>"You're not worth a detention," Will replied. "Just get out of here, before I change my mind."</p><p>Marco scoffed but started to turn away before suddenly lunging at Miles. Will instantly threw himself in between the two boys and shoved Marco backward, right into me. I tried not to look like a tomato as he righted himself. He moved back towards Will until they were face-to-face, before smirking and letting out a simple "Whatever,"</p><p>Marco then faced Miles and stated with a dark tone, "He can't protect you 24 hours a day." before loping away. The strange thing was, as he passed me I could've sworn I heard him mutter a low "sorry", but when I looked up, his eyes held absolutely no emotion.</p><p>As Marco turned the corner, Miles yelled after him, "Oh, wow, you know that there are 24 hours in a day? You must be evolving!" I watched him he walked down the hall. It was wildly contrasting, for he held himself straight and tall, with arrogant yet self-assured confidence, but at the same time, he curled his shoulders inward just slightly, as if trying to protect himself. It was an odd concept, but yet just as intriguing as he was. I was actually very pleased with myself for noticing.</p><p>"Thanks, Will." Miles murmured, "I was worried I was going to have to, as they say 'throw down' with them, but when I saw you coming I thought you might want to deal with him yourself since she's your brother."</p><p>"Step-brother" Will corrected under his breath. He then looked over Miles' shoulder - right at us. Or more specifically right at me; Allie had disappeared around the corner. I scurried after her with him following, shouting for me to wait up. I caught up with Allie right by her locker, and was about to demand to know why she pulled the disappearing act when behind me Will called out "Hey! Water Fountain Girl!"</p><p>Oh, so <em><strong>THAT'S </strong></em>why she wanted to avoid him</p><p>Allie sent me a look, saying that if I didn't scram now, I was going to regret it later.</p><p>"Oh, hey, it's Will, right?" she said to him as I ducked around her to get to my locker.</p><p>"Yeah. Hey, I didn't know you went to Avalon."</p><p>"Well, I didn't know you go here either. Although, technically, I don't know anyone who goes here. I'm new. I mean my name's not 'New', it's Allie."</p><p>He laughs, shaking her hand as I roll my eyes at her disjointed introduction. "Well, it's very nice to meet you, Allie. And I assume this is your sister?" he asks, reaching for my hand.</p><p>
  <em>OK Ilah, be cool. First day, new school, new people, fresh start. Don't screw it up.</em>
</p><p>"Hi, I'm Ilah," I say, shaking his hand before turning back to my locker. "There," Will says to Allie. "Now you officially know one person."</p><p>"Yeah," I comment as I lean around my locker door. "You're practically Homecoming Queen."</p><p>"Ilah!" Allie hisses. I roll my eyes and turn back to my locker, mentally chiding myself for not thinking before I speak.</p><p>"So, are you on the track team?" Allie asks Will. "You know, because of the running in the park. Or maybe you just like running. I love running.<em><strong> We</strong></em> love running.</p><p>Will laughs, "Football, actually. I'm kinda the quarterback."</p><p><em>'Course he is.</em> I think to myself.<em> Cue head cheerleader.</em></p><p>All of a sudden a girl with strawberry blonde hair bounces over to Will, and with a quick "Hey, sweetie!" Gives him a nice kiss on the cheek.</p><p>
  <em>There she is.</em>
</p><p>Will introduces her as Jen, commenting on how our friends have already doubled, before introducing us to his best friend Lance who, surprise, is also on the football team. I don't know how perceptive Will is, but I think it's pretty clear that Jen and Lance have feelings for each other, so just as I ponder why she's dating Will, I suddenly realize that they are showing us to our first-period class, European History with Mr. Moore.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>So here's the second chapter. I'm trying to do these very fast because the movie is only available to me till tomorrow, and I like to check it to make sure I'm getting the right dialogue. Let me know what you think!</p><p>Cheers, CC</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Learning</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>When we walked to class, the first thing that struck me was the loud voice at the front of the room exclaiming "William!" I assumed this was our teacher, Mr. Moore.</p><p>"Rumor has it you're going to lead Avalon Football to State for the first time this year." Mr. Moore continued.</p><p>"That's the plan, sir," Will replied as a few other boys with letterman jackets slapped him on the back.</p><p>"That's my boy!" Mr. Moore exclaimed. "Class president, Homecoming King, straight A-student," he went on. Turning around to catch Marco slinking past behind him to grab a book, Mr. Moore decided to add one more attribute to the list, aiming it directly at Marco. "<strong><em>And he's polite!</em></strong> If only I had an entire class of Will Wagner's." He finished, turning towards Allie and I.</p><p>"Oh, I think I'm going to puke!" Marco called back, heading for a seat at the very back of the room. When he was about halfway there, he turned back around and caught my eye. After giving me a once over, he scowled and spat out "What are you looking at?"</p><p>Me being myself I instantly feigned innocence before replying with a pitying "Nothing pretty. Find a mirror and you'll see what I mean." *** He just glowered at me and went to go sulk at the back of the room, giving me another dirty look once he reached his seat.</p><p>Mr. Moore handed us our books, and I followed Allie trying to find a seat when all of the sudden she stopped walking and started laughing. I looked down at the book and then started laughing too.</p><p>"I'm sorry, is there a problem, Miss…?" Mr. Moore asked.</p><p>"Pennington. Allie and Ilah Pennington?" Allie said.</p><p>"Ah!" Mr. Moore started laughing. "Well then, that explains everything! Everyone, please welcome Avalon High's newest students, Allie and Ilah Pennington. Their parents are professors of medieval literature at the University, and they also wrote the textbook we'll be using this semester when we learn about King Arthur and his court."</p><p>From the middle of the room, Lance faked a cough before muttering a dry "Easy A!" making everyone laugh. Mr. Moore then repeated it back at him with a "Nobody asked you!" By that time, the only seats left were the ones at the very back of the room. Allie picked the one next to Miles, the kid from this morning who was getting bullied, but I got to sit behind him next to Marco, the kid who was doing the bullying.</p><p><strong><em>Lucky me</em></strong>. I thought to myself as I sat down and put my backpack on the floor. In front of me, Miles was trying to tell Allie how big of a mistake she was making by talking to him.</p><p>"You had a great start!" He reasoned. "I saw you talking to Captain Everything this morning. You have a chance to be in the popular group. Don't mess it up."</p><p>She laughed. "I can be friends with whoever I want. Including you. Including you."</p><p>"Uh, who said I wanted to be your friend?" Miles sassed.</p><p>"You" she replied.</p><p>"No, I didn't." He retorted.</p><p>"Then why are you still talking to us?" I interjected. From the corner of my eye, I saw Marco had turned slightly towards us as if he were listening to our conversation.</p><p>"But I'm not," Miles responded.</p><p>"Ah, but by saying you're not, you are." I countered.</p><p>Miles struggled for a few seconds to come up with an answer but found himself beaten and slumped at his desk.</p><p>"Check…" Allie started.</p><p>"and mate." I finished.</p><p>I heard a snicker come from my left, but when I looked Marco was not paying attention at all, faced straight ahead, and completely ignoring everyone. <em><strong>Oh, this is going to be a long year.</strong></em> At the front of the room, Mr. Moore started ringing a tiny bell.</p><p>"Okay, first thing we're going to do is break up into teams to write research papers. You're going to be drawing your topics out of a hat, or in this case a helmet." He said, pulling out the helmet off a suit of armor.</p><p>The first group was two kids I didn't know, and they got the architecture of Camelot. Next, Moore paired Will with some girl, even though he clearly wanted to be with Jen. They got the sports of Camelot. Jen, who was working with Lance, picked the tragedy of Camelot. Their paper was to be on the love triangle between King Arthur, Queen Guinevere, and Sir Lancelot. In that book I had read, it said that the triangle ultimately destroyed Arthur and Camelot itself along with him. I couldn't help but wonder Mr. Moore had a sick sense of humor and had somehow rigged the drawing. Next was Miles and Allie.</p><p>"I'd rather work alone." Miles protested.</p><p>"And I'd rather be eating pineapple on a beach in Hawaii," Mr. Moore retaliated, "but that's not going to happen either."</p><p>Allie picked the Order of the Bear.<strong><em> I've never heard of that</em></strong> I thought to myself. I heard a sharp intake of breath beside me, and when I snuck a peek at Marco, he was staring directly at Allie, with his hands clasped together, eyebrows furrowed and jaw clenched. I couldn't tell what was wrong with him. I don't know if he was upset because she had gotten it and he hadn't (assuming he'd wanted it) or if he was just trying not to laugh because she looked so confused.</p><p>Next came me and you know who on my left.</p><p>"Alright Ilah, you're with Marco. Pick." I shuffled around for a bit before pulling out a strip of paper, unfolding it, and holding it up for him to see.</p><p>"The Story of Mordred," Mr. Moore read. "Oh, that's a good one. Your paper will tell of Mordred's specific role in the downfall of Camelot.</p><p><em><strong> Joy. Really.</strong></em> I sighed, pulling out a sheet of paper to write down my phone number, email address, and home address, so Marco would be able to contact me while we worked on our project. <strong><em>You know,</em></strong> I thought to my self as I folded the Story of Mordred paper into a crane, <strong><em>I don't particularly relish the thought of him having my personal information like this, even if it is just to get a paper done.</em></strong> By the time the rest of the class had finished picking, my contact information had followed the Mordred slip into another crane, along with two more made out of a spare notebook sheet I'd ripped in half. When class ended, I dropped the one with my info on his desk and then walked out without another word. He didn't say anything, and I didn't look back.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>*** OK, so the comeback I had earlier was literal crap, and thank you all for the suggestions. I like this one a lot better. Shoutout/Credit to DeathScythe16 for the inspiration. Thanks, mate. Hope you enjoy.</p><p>Thanks for reading! Cheers CC</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Winning</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>So this one's kinda short, but like I said last chapter, I lose the movie after tomorrow, so I'm kinda trying ta crank em all out before tomorrow, but that's clearly not going to happen. I'll tell you why later. For now, the story...</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>After school was track tryouts. First, we stretched a bit, and then we started jogging. The try-out was a 400-yard sprint, and the first 4 girls to finish would make the team. The whole time we were warming up, I felt a familiar presence nearby. Someone was definitely watching us. At first, I thought it was just the male track runners or the football players. The longer I felt it, the more familiar seemed. I knew whoever it was had to be someone I knew, someone I'd been close to recently. But I'd been through over half a dozen classes that day. I'd been close to a million people! I tried to forget about it and just focus on running.</p><p>"All right!" The coach yelled. "Go to your marks!" I was in the second lane, right next to Allie.</p><p>"Good luck," I said as I passed her.</p><p>"You too, Ilah!" she replied.</p><p>I fixed the blocks, got into position, and waited for the gun. As I did, I felt that <em>presence</em> again, and I looked up into the stands to try and pinpoint it. The next thing I know, the gun's gone off, the other girls including Allie are already reaching the first turn, and like an idiot, <strong><em><span class="u">I'm still at my mark!</span></em></strong> I took off as fast as I could. *** Rounding the last corner, I pushed with everything I had left, flying across the line neck and neck with Allie. The coaches congratulated us and told us those were two of the fastest 400s they'd seen in years, and they'd love to see it again with proper starts from both of us.</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong> Huh. I guess I wasn't the only one who was distracted. Now, speaking of distractions, where's the person… </strong>
  </em>
</p><p>My trail of thought died as up at the very top of the stands, I saw the black flap of someone's jacket for about half a second, before it whipped around the corner and into the boy's locker room.</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>Black, black. Who do I know who wears… oh no. No, no, no. </strong>
  </em>
</p><p>Seeing that color combined with the presence, I realized why it felt so familiar, it was the same one I'd felt this morning in the hall, just before I officially met Will, the seemingly egotistical yet quietly assuring confidence. It was the same one I'd be feeling all year long, emanating from the left, in Mr. Moore's European History class. <em><strong>Great. Now he's stalking me. </strong></em></p><hr/><p>That night, Mom and Dad took us out to a restaurant to celebrate.</p><p>"I'm so proud of you girls." Mom beamed at us.</p><p>I sighed. "Yeah, I'm pretty proud of us too." I grinned, sliding my arm across Allie's shoulders and pulling her into a one-armed hug.</p><p>"This is gonna be a great year for us. I can feel it." Allie announced, flashing me a huge smile.</p><p><strong><em>Not if Marco keeps this up.</em></strong> I thought. But tonight wasn't about him. For now, it was just about us.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>*** insert the running scene from the movie here, with a couple of differences. Ilah has bright green eyes, a purple shirt, and is wearing a bra! Seriously! How did they miss that!</p><p>So the reason I won't get this done today is because I mapped out how I want the story to go, and the plan gives me 18 chapters. I was thinking about trying to write all through the night, not necessarily posting, just writing, but I have a birthday party tomorrow and a hockey game tomorrow night, not to mention school starts again for me on Monday, and my mom wants me to try and get back on my normal sleeping schedule. I'll write as late as I can tonight, and hopefully post a little more soon. Thanks for reading, be sure to review!</p><p>Cheers, CC</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Gaining</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Finally, Ilah and Marco get to be alone! ;) This chapter comes mostly from my own imagination, seeing as how there is no such scene in the movie because Ilah doesn't exist! Enjoy!</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>OK, wow, it's been a while. But the story must go on! Quick note, I've made a few small changes to the previous chapters, just little details here and there. they're not really that important to the story [well, not yet ;)] But, if you want to get to know Ilah's character a little better, I suggest going back and re-reading, if only to refresh your memory because it's been so long. GAHH I HATE ME TOO!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>
    <strong>I can't believe I'm actually doing this.</strong>
  </em>
</p>
<p>That's the only thought I have in my mind as I ring Marco's doorbell. I'm also desperately wishing that I'd asked Mom and Dad for a little help before agreeing to do this. A little help from them and I'd have the entire paper written in my head before we even sat down.</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <strong>Goddammit, why'd I have to be born so stubborn?</strong>
  </em>
</p>
<p>I hear the lock turn, pulling my focus out of the clouds and onto Marco opening the front door. He gives me a quick once over and pulls a face.</p>
<p>'All right," he sighs. "Let's get this over with."</p>
<p>He turns away from me and ambles deeper into the house, leaving me to step in and close the door on my own before following him to the living room. As I walk through the house, I can't help but marvel at how uncluttered it is. Due to the fact that my family is constantly moving, we've never actually taken the time to make our house a home. Our usual strategy is merely to unpack the books, find a space to set them down, and then make life happen around them. However, that's apparently not the case in every household.</p>
<p>Marco flopped down on the sofa and lazily watched me taking in my new surroundings.</p>
<p>"So are we going to actually work, or are you just going to stand there all afternoon?" he inquired.</p>
<p>I shot him a withering look and answered his question in the form of action, sitting myself down cross-legged on the floor across the coffee table from him. I pulled out my notebook, where I'd already scribbled down a few ideas while Mr. Moore had finished pairing up the rest of the class.</p>
<p>"See you've started." Marco huffed.</p>
<p>"See you haven't!" I retorted, gesturing toward his blank page on the table.*</p>
<p>"We've got like three weeks until this thing's due; why on Earth are we doing it now?" he whined.</p>
<p>I sighed. "Because I know you don't want to spend any more time with me than absolutely necessary, so I figure that it's better to tolerate each other for a few hours and get it out of the way now instead of spending two and a half weeks dreading it then waiting till the absolute last minute and doing a crappy job." <em><strong>That's pretty good reasoning…right?</strong></em></p>
<p>He was sitting up now, listening very intently with a very conflicted look on his face. <em><strong>Aww crap. Why did I have to say that? Me and my big mouth! Stupid stupid stupid…</strong></em> I could feel my face getting redder with every moment of silence.</p>
<p>"Is that really how you think I feel, that I just hate everyone? That I… hate <em>you</em>?" he asked softly. I looked up at him from my place on the floor, but he refused to meet my eyes. I furrowed my eyebrows, confused. <em><strong>Well, this isn't exactly the reaction I was expecting, but I guess it's better than him getting angry. </strong></em>"Well- I mean-" I floundered for a few seconds, trying to find the right way to put it. "That's kinda how you act…" I trailed off, not exactly sure if I was helping or hurting.</p>
<p>All of a sudden, his entire demeanor took a 180, his spine stiffening, and his eyes and mouth hardening. "Good. Maybe everyone else will finally cue in." <em><strong>Wow. OK. </strong></em>I didn't know why, but his declaration felt like a punch in the gut. Or, maybe that was just me wanting to punch <em>him </em>-in the face.</p>
<p>Just as I was about to open my big mouth again (I should really look into super-gluing it shut), the sound of a door opening somewhere else in the house caused Marco to groan and slump down on the couch. "Marco? Where are you?" a friendly female voice sounded. "Can you come help me get the bags out of the car?"</p>
<p><em><strong>Ohmygod his MOM is home! </strong></em>I started panicking. <strong><em>Wait; why am I freaking out? We are working on a paper - kinda! It's not like we were... Whoa, where did THAT come from? Don't even go there.</em></strong> She came around the corner just then, a shorter, cheerful-looking woman, her chestnut hair threaded with grey and warm brown eyes giving no indication of any shared biology with her son. <em><strong>If he looks nothing like her, he must be the spitting image of his father, </strong></em>I mused.</p>
<p>"Lillian Wagner," she greeted me, transferring a few of the bags of groceries in her arms to Marco's so she could extend her hand to me. "nice to meet you"</p>
<p>"Ilah Pennington," I replied. "you have a lovely home." I saw Marco's eyebrows go up behind her like he was trying not to laugh. I restrained myself from snapping at him, but his mother turned and gave him a look that said she knew exactly what he'd been doing.</p>
<p>I like this woman.</p>
<p>"So," she continued, taking the bags back from Marco and heading into the kitchen. "what are you two up to this afternoon?"</p>
<p>"We're just working on a paper Mom," Marco grumbled at her, collapsing back onto the sofa. <em><strong>Well, you don't have to sound so tortured about it,</strong></em> I thought. <strong><em>I'm not exactly having the time of my life here either.</em></strong></p>
<p>"Well, if you'd like a break," she replied, taking her son's grumpy attitude in stride. "you can help me put things away and get started on dinner, and then you can take another one in about an hour to eat." she said, before turning to me and adding, "My husband is on a business trip at the moment, and Will went out running and most likely won't be back till late, so it'll just be the three of us for dinner. I hope you like chili, Ilah."</p>
<hr/>
<p>Three hours later, the sun is starting to go down, and while some progress has been made on our paper, we are still nowhere close to being done. It's about this time that I look up to find that Marco has drifted off to dreamland in the middle of looking up the approximate dates of Mordred's birth and death.</p>
<p><em><strong>Un-fricking-believable </strong></em>I think to myself, going over to take the computer off of his lap. He doesn't even move. I roll my eyes, but figure that if he's gonna take a break, then I may as well too.</p>
<p>I log onto my Pandora and pull up my Irish rock band station. I had stumbled across the genre while going through a U2 phase in seventh grade and thought of it as the greatest thing since sliced bread ever since. There was just such a personal connection sharp contrast between the elegant tenderness of the violins and flutes and the harsh drumbeats and electric guitar. I think that's part of why I stopped taking piano lessons with Allie and started teaching myself to play the violin instead. Without even thinking, I flip to a fresh page of notebook paper, and begin to draw, losing myself in the music and the picture.</p>
<p>The next thing I know, Will comes breezing through the living room to go upstairs. I didn't even hear him come in. <strong><em>Wait a minute. Mrs. Wagner said he wouldn't be back till late. What is he doing home? </em></strong>I check the window, then my watch. <em>Holy Schist, it's almost 9:30 and it's COMPLETELY DARK OUTSIDE!**</em> I start scrambling to pack up my stuff and only then do I notice that Marco is awake. In my defense, he's not very active about it. Only his dark eyes move, following me around the room as I search for my crap.</p>
<p>"So," I say awkwardly, just to say something to break the silence. "we didn't really get that much done today, so do you want to meet again tomorrow during lunch, or after school again, or..." I'm babbling, and we both know it, so I trail off as he gracefully rises from his chair and wanders over to me, hands in his pockets. His eyes haven't left mine the entire time, even now as he finally responds.</p>
<p>"You should probably get home."</p>
<p>I'm going to kill him.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>*Yes I did just make a Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone reference. So sue me.</p>
<p>**And yes, that was a Percy Jackson: Son of Neptune reference. I'm a nerd, it just can't be helped. *shrugs*</p>
<p>WOW, long time off. Yeah. I... have no good reasons. I don't want to make half-assed excuses to you guys. Life just happened, I guess. Anyway, more important things to discuss. Since, after all, this story is for you guys, I want to get your thoughts on a couple of points that I'm wavering on.</p>
<p>1. My chapter names kinda have a theme going; they all end in -ing. The last one was called Winning, but I can't decide if I want to call this one Losing or Gaining. Read through, and let me know.</p>
<p>2. I gave Ilah the lead in with the drawing and music, and I'm wondering if her powers should somehow stem from that? Miles doesn't really have any specific vein for his in the movie, but I kinda want Ilah's to be different? Let me know if I should stick with just powers, or use music or art or both or something else or whatever!</p>
<p>As always, any questions, comments, or criticisms are greatly appreciated and will hopefully be addressed swiftly and accurately. Thanks for reading!</p>
<p>Cheers, CC</p>
<p>P.S. That whole "cheers" thing, is paying homage (kinda) to one of my favorite authors on FanFiction.net, tears-in-rain! Her stories are amazing, and you should all go check her out!</p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>So there's the first chapter! Let me know what you think, this is my first story ever, so please review but go easy.<br/>Thanks for reading! Cheers, CC<br/>P.S. you say her name like [Eye-luh]</p></blockquote></div></div>
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